WEST SACRAMENTO -- In search of infield depth after losing All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson to the injured list earlier this week, the Athletics swung a deal before Saturday’s game against the Giants, acquiring infielder Alika Williams from the Pirates for Minor League right-hander Kyle Robinson.
Williams immediately joined the A’s on Saturday night. To clear space on both the 26- and 40-man roster, infielder Michael Stefanic was designated for assignment.
TRADE DETAILS
A's receive: INF Alika Williams
Pirates receive: RHP Kyle Robinson
While not necessarily a high-profile move, this trade is important in that it provides a second true shortstop option for the A’s, who were down to Darell Hernaiz at the position on the Major League depth chart. Williams – a career .202 hitter in parts of two big league seasons with the Pirates from 2023-24 – began the 2026 season at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he hit .317 with an .852 OPS, two home runs, 10 doubles and 18 RBIs in 34 games.
At the time he was selected by the Rays in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft, Williams was touted as a strong defender with good speed, a quick first step, above-average hands, solid range and a quality arm capable of making tough throws on the run.
“We always are trying to improve the roster,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “In this move, especially from a run prevention standpoint, he’s a really good defender. He’s a natural shortstop. He’s played in the big leagues at shortstop with the Pirates. He’s having a pretty solid Triple-A season with the bat right now. … We’ll get him an opportunity.”
In another small move on Saturday, the A’s traded outfielder Junior Perez, who was designated for assignment earlier this week, to the White Sox for Minor League left-hander Jackson Nove.
The A’s added Perez to their 40-man roster this winter to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, and he entered the season rated as the club’s No. 20 prospect by MLB Pipeline. But with no shortage of outfield depth both in the Majors and Minors, the A’s were comfortable with the risk of losing Perez and end up acquiring an intriguing lefty in Nove, who is off to a strong start this year with a 1.96 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 23 innings across 12 games (one start) for Single-A Kannapolis.
“For Junior, he’s still figuring things out,” Kotsay said. “He’s still a young player. I think there’s more of a realistic opportunity maybe with Chicago for him. You never want to move a young, controllable position player. But with where our depth is in this organization right now from an outfield standpoint, we feel good about that, and we had the ability to also acquire a left-handed pitcher.”